Big Dog Theater Closing
In an email to subscribers, Big Dog Theater owner Don Mitri announced that the Coventry spot will be closing at the end of December after two years in operation. The full email, via Patch, after the jump.
Video: Prank Caller Asks Browns Panel Who Has the Biggest Penis
A prank caller got through on air to Jim Donovan, Tony Grossi, and Doug Dieken on the Browns Red Zone React show on STO, which, if you’ve ever caught any of STO’s call-in programming, isn’t surprising at all. The question posed to the esteemed experts: Which one of you has the biggest cock? The three…
Concert Review: New Found Glory at the Grog Shop
Last night at the Grog Shop, where the band played two sold-out shows, it was hard to believe New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert when he said it’s been ten years since the band played its biggest album, Sticks and Stones, in its entirety. From the beginning of the opening tune, “Understatement,” the sold out…
WMMS Fires Chad Zumock After OVI Arrest
According to an internal Clear Channel email, Chad Zumock has been fired from his gig on WMMS following last week’s arrest for OVI. Zumock tweeted that there was more to the story than what had been relayed in the media thus far. Hopefully we’ll hear from our favorite half of I Can’t Believe it’s not…
Video: All RTA Traffic in One Day
Data from the Greater Regional Transit Agency, which has had its fair share of public relations gaffes in recent months, was used to produce this map which shows all RTA activity in one weekday from 3 a.m. to 3 a.m. Mesmerizing, and a reminder that RTA does in fact go your way.
RESPECT THE PIE
Along with the start of the most joyful month of the year, Saturday, Dec. 1 is National Pie Day. Overwhelmed by the endless sea of trendy cupcakes and doughnuts, the old-fashioned pie has been overlooked lately. Its history reaches back to the ancient Greeks, and it’s been filled with everything from meat to apple. Here…
The Nutcracker at the State Theater
Photo by Roger Mastroianni Nothing brings out the crowds like The Nutcracker. The State Theater on Playhouse Square was mobbed last night for the first of five performances pairing the Cleveland Orchestra with the Joffrey Ballet, which brought a ton of impressive sets and lavish costumes from Chicago. The production got off to a strong…
Holiday Films
Darkness falls early in December, which is why we brighten the night skies with Christmas lights. It’s also one reason to take refuge in movie theaters, where you can escape the cold and darkness this year by basking in the projected fantasies of hobbits, French revolutionaries, lovers, bounty hunters, animated monsters, and circus acrobats in…
Leaving Vegas Lou
A computer programmer who says he simply “loves movies,” James Neyman formed a production company six years ago with his writing and directing cohort Kurt Broz. The two quickly cast and shot a horror film called The Slasher, which was accepted to Indie Gathering, the local underground film festival; they’ve continued to produce films on…
Holiday Sports & Recreation
Yes, it’s cold outside. And when you’re sitting warm and snug indoors, the last thing you want to do is brave the winter elements. But if you don’t venture outdoors this holiday season, you will be missing out on a lot that Northeast Ohio has to offer— and a chance to work off some of those…
Art in Flux
When two or more artists are shown together under one roof, the pairing is more often a matter of scheduling rather than aesthetic or thematic considerations. However, sometimes artists paired together converge on similar ideas and values, even while pursuing unrelated projects. SPACES, Cleveland’s global venue for conceptual and experimental art, is the site of…
Holiday Beer Guide
Oh, how the holiday season in Cleveland has changed. Instead of waiting in line to see Mr. Jingeling at Halle’s, we’re battling crowds at the Crocker Park Apple store. What hasn’t changed is Clevelanders’ love for beer — in fact, it’s grown exponentially. And for beer aficionados, December has become practically a holy month, the…
Culinary Calendar
Wednesday, November 28 Sake/Sushi Pairing Dinner Sushi Rock changed our perception of how sushi restaurants look and operate in Northeast Ohio, which makes it a perfect setting for a pairing dinner. At only $35 dollar per person, this five-course meal is all about specialized and premier pairings. The premium sakes are phenomenal. Tozai “Living Jewel”…
Holiday Indulgences
The Nutcracker in 3D If you can’t get enough of the holiday classic, or want to literally be onstage with the dancers, indulge in a screening of this performance by one of the world’s great dance companies, the Mariinsky Ballet. Filmed at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, where The Nutcracker had its world premiere…
So Near, So Far
Potential is defined as latent qualities or abilities that may lead to future success. Which is a good capsule description of Lincoln Tap House. In terms of accomplishments and opportunities, it has plenty of both. The question is, can this local pub move from good to great? A key ingredient to success in the restaurant…
Holiday Culinary Revelry
Cleveland bars and restaurants are celebrating the season with a wealth of special dinners, tastings, parties, and customer appreciation nights. Here’s a quick guide to some of the best. —Jason Beudert and Nikki Hunt Thursday, November 29 Washington Place Bistro and Inn Consider it a late Thanksgiving dinner that you don’t have to cook. This…
Band of the Week
Meet the Artist: Ernie Krivda (sax), Claude Black (piano), Jeff Grubbs (acoustic bass) and Renell Gonsalves (drums). The Detroit Connection: As the name implies, Krivda’s backing band hails from Detroit. “They get it,” he says of the group. “Detroit is a great jazz city. I’ve been playing in Detroit since the 1960s. Even though Motown…
Holidays With Circlefest
With a little planning and a lot of ambition, you can do your holiday shopping, entertain the kids, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season all in one day at University Circle’s annual holiday extravaganza, CircleFest. Running this year from 1 – 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2, the festival is centered around…
Opening: Holy Motors
French director Léos Carax’s film follows a day in the working life of Monsieur Oscar (Dennis Lavant), who’s driven around in a white stretch limo by Céline (Edith Scob) to meet a schedule of “appointments,” really little genre dramas, each requiring Oscar to change into elaborate makeup and costumes. Throughout the day, Oscar, introduced as…
Holiday and Classical Music
Cleveland Orchestra There are few holiday pleasures more sublime than taking in the sounds of the season at Severance Hall. The Cleveland Orchestra’s Christmas concerts, with guest choruses and sing-alongs, start on Dec. 14 and run through Dec. 23. On the mornings of Dec. 14 & 15, a Christmas Brass quintet offers a selection of…
Great Dane
Dennis, the protagonist of the charming Danish film Teddy Bear, showing Friday at 9:40 p.m. and Saturday at 7:25 p.m. at the Cleveland Cinematheque, is a professional bodybuilder, with enormous arms and shoulders decorated with the tattoos that are a part of his trade. With a gentle demeanor that belies his massive size, Dennis is…
Holiday Pop & Rock Music
Ever since Elvis Presley put a rock ’n’ roll twist on Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” holiday music hasn’t been the same. Now, it seems as if every rocker tries to cash in on Christmas with a holiday album and/or tour. Even heavy metal guys sing about rockin’ around the Christmas tree and decking the halls.…
Savage Love
Dear Dan: I’m a straight man at that age where the general public still considers me young. Although I’ve attended many weddings, I have no interest in marrying or even being in a relationship. I never have. I’m not asexual. I’ve had and enjoyed sex. I just don’t feel the need to be with anyone.…
Opening: Killing Them Softly
“America is a business,” hit man Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) says at the end of writer-director Andrew Dominik’s bleak crime drama based on George V. Higgins’s novel Cogan’s Trade. Dominik makes that theme explicit in his adaption, setting it during the height of the recession and including numerous clips of George W. Bush addressing a…
The Modern Electric
themodernelectric.com This indie pop band tends to think of its music as cinematic. That’s why the packaging for this two-song single describes the track as something that was “directed by” the band. While cinematic could mean a variety of things, it’s more apt to say that the Modern Electric is just a really good pop…
Opening: Toys in the Attic
Directed by Jirí Barta and adapted in English by Vivian Schilling, this Czech animated film illustrates why strong stories and characterizations are crucial to animated features — without them, the most ingenious techniques fall flat. The film, which features whimsical stop-motion animation, is about a group of neglected toys living in an old attic trunk.…
Brotherly Angst
When it comes to famous brothers, history is replete with dynamic duos — from Cain and Abel to the murderous Menendez pair, and from the Bushes to the Kochs. But in contemporary theater, outside of Biff and Happy, the most fascinating set of brothers is likely found in True West by Sam Shepard. Now at…
Holiday Theater
Holiday-themed plays abound in Cleveland, and this year there are new entries to add to the familiar classics: a redemption fable set in Cleveland, a modern retelling of the Nativity, and a visit by a touring Chinese troupe. Herewith, a guide to the best of the season onstage. — Pamela Zoslov A Christmas Carol Charles…
The Scream Team
Between their South American headlining tour that ended last month, and their North American tour starting next month, English rockers Asking Alexandria spent their time off producing their upcoming untitled third album. Guitarist Ben Bruce founded the band in 2008 after returning to England from Dubai, and the act has toured relentlessly since the release…
Holiday Shopping
Unless you’re a modern-day Scrooge, you don’t have much choice about joining in the orgy of holiday consumption. You do, however, have a choice about where to spend your money. Instead of running to the big-box stories or online to Amazon, consider supporting local artists and shop owners. —Joseph Clark & Frank Kuznik Art From…
Amazing Grace
Late last year, singer-guitarist Grace Potter and her band the Nocturnals had started to work on a new album, The Lion The Beast The Beat, when Black Keys singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach invited them to do some recording at his Nashville studio. Initially, Potter turned him down, because she didn’t have any plans to be in…
Top Pop Culture Picks for the Week
TOP PICK Rage Against the Machine XX (20th Anniversary Issue) (Columbia/Legacy) This new edition of Rage Against the Machine’s heavy-hitting 1992 album features re-mastered versions of the studio version and comes with the demo that preceded the album’s official release. Public Enemy’s Chuck D contributes the new liner notes. Freeway Diamond in the Ruff (Babygrande)…
Married to the Music
8MM’s husband/wife duo has new school sound, old school approach A former Clevelander, multi-instrumentalist Sean Beavan is best known as a Grammy-nominated producer who’s worked with acts such as Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson. But for the past eight years, he’s also moonlighted as one half of 8MM, the trip-hop/alt-rock act that features him…
Scene’s Guide to an Excessive Holiday Season
Peace on earth, good will toward men. And shopping. And parties. And eating and drinking too much. In a word, overindulgence. That’s what the holidays are about. And this year, we have another reason to get wild and crazy: The Mayan prophecy of a global cataclysm on Dec. 21. As usual, we’ve managed to take…
Holiday Events
Weekend festivals and special holiday events in Cleveland’s liveliest neighborhoods offer fun for the entire family throughout December. And if you’re looking for an adult escape from the seasonal rush, look no further than the Cleveland Museum of Art’s popular First Friday Mix.—Joseph Clark & Frank Kuznik Saturday, December 1 Ohio City Holiday Festival After…
Holiday Attractions
The world is a beautiful place in the glow of Christmas lights. In Cleveland, you can also enjoy the holidays by lantern light, or surrounded by aquatic wonders, or with a thousand flowers blooming. Pack the family in the car and pace yourself over the next month, and you can enjoy them all.— Sam Mendez…
